As blackout eases, rival rallies sweep Caracas
VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION protesters on Saturday confronted security forces on a main avenue in Caracas, venting their anger over a nationwide blackout, shortages of basic necessities and the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
Demonstrators on Avenida Victoria in the Venezuelan capital pushed against the shields of riot police, who withdrew from the area but maintained a large presence.
As an opposition-led rally got under way, police units and members of the National Guard gathered at several intersections, wearing helmets and carrying shields and other anti-riot gear. Several columns of security forces moved on motorcycles.
Meanwhile, Maduro’s backers began turning out for a rival demonstration as power returned to parts of Venezuela after the country’s worst blackout, which started late Thursday and only eased about 24 hours later.
UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS
Some areas where electricity was restored later lost power again, and managers of the Caracas subway said they were waiting for the electricity supply to stabilise before resuming service.
Seemingly unresolved problems with the power grid appeared to only intensify the ongoing economic and political crisis.
The location of the opposition rally itself marks a symbolic challenge to authorities because it is taking place in a part of western Caracas that is near the presidential palace of Miraflores and mainly considered to be a pro-government area.
Opposition activists said police had dismantled a speakers’ stage that had been erected in the street ahead of the demonstration Saturday, while Guaido tweeted that authorities would fail in any attempt to scare protesters.
“Today we’ll show them in the streets,” he said.
Guaido also attributed the blackout to alleged corruption and mismanagement under Maduro’s government, which he has consistently challenged since declaring himself interim president of Venezuela in late January.
Venezuelan government officials countered that the United States was responsible for the outage and that Guaido had collaborated in the alleged sabotage.
Maduro, who maintains that Guaido is part of a US-backed plot to oust him, said on Twitter Saturday that “each act of imperialist aggression will meet an overwhelming response”.
The United States and about 50 other countries support Guaido’s campaign to oust Maduro and hold elections. Guaido, 35, is the leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly.